The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday arraigned the former Managing Director, Port Harcourt Refining Company Ltd (PHRC), Mr. Ahmed Dikko, on alleged money laundering offences.
Dikko, who was arraigned before Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja on a 12-count charge, pleaded not guilty.
In the charge, the EFCC had named Dikko and Masterpiece Projects & Investment Ltd as first and second defendants.
In the charge dated and filed on June 22 by the commission’s counsel, Ekele Iheanacho, SAN, the anti-graft agency accused Dikko of using part of the funds to purchase a choiced property in Abuja.
When the case was called, Iheanacho informed the court that the matter was scheduled for the defendants to take their plea and that they were ready to proceed.
Ikechukwu Ajunwa, SAN, did not oppose the application but applied that a non-guilty plea be entered for the second defendant, the company.
After the charge was read to him, Dikko pleaded not guilty to all the 12 counts.
In view of the non-guilty plea, the prosecution lawyer applied for a trial date, which Ajunwa did not oppose but informed the court that a bail application had been filed on behalf of the 1st defendant.
He said a copy of the bail application had also been served on the EFCC.
Iheanacho acknowledged the receipt of the process and told the court that a counter affidavit had equally been filed in opposition to the bail request.
Moving the motion, Ajunwa said it was dated and filed on July 3 in line with sections 34(4) and 36 of the 1999 Constitution and Sections 158 and 156 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015.
According to him, the application is seeking leave for the defendant to be granted bail.
Responding, Iheanacho said the commission, on July 7, filed a counter affidavit to oppose Dikko’s.
In his ruling, Justice Ekwo held that the court has the discretionary power to either grant or not to grant bail.
He said since bail is a constitutional rights of the defendant, substantial evidence must be placed before the court why the defendant ought to be denied the request.
The judge consequently admitted him to a ₦150 million bail with one surety in like sum who must possess a landed property within the jurisdiction of the court.
He held that the surety must be a responsible citizen and must submit the documents of the landed property, which should be verified by the court registrar.
Justice Ekwo ordered Dikko to submit his passport with the court, and directed that the defendant must not travel outside the country without the permission of court.
The judge subsequently adjourned the matter until October 12, October 13 and October 14 for commencement of trial.
12 Counts
In count one, it was alleged that Dikko, the former MD of PHRC, on or about February 2024 in Abuja, did indirectly make cash payment of the dollar equivalent of the sum of ₦218,375,000 to one Hadeija Bashir.
It alleged that the money was used for the purchase of Plot 558, Abubakar Umar Street, Katampe Extension, Abuja without passing through a financial institution.
The offence is contrary to sections 2 (1) (a), 19(1)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 19 (2) (b) of the same Act.
In count two, he was alleged to have, between October 21, 2022 and October 25, 2022 in Abuja, indirectly retained in the Fidelity Bank Plc account number: 4020827615, operated by him, the sum of ₦100 million, being part of the money cumulatively paid to him by Ebenco Global Link Limited, a contractor to PHRC of Nigeria National Petroleum Company Ltd (NNPCL).
“When you knew that the said sum of ₦100,000,000.00 constituted proceed of unlawful activity,” the count partly read.
Count three accused Dikko of indirectly retaining in his GTBank Plc account number: 0047037266, the sum of ₦90 million between December 7, 2022 and December 19, 2023 in Abuja, being part of the money cumulatively given to him by Ebenco Global Link Limited, a contractor to PHRC of NNPC.
In count five, he was alleged to have, about May 20, 2022, in Abuja, indirectly taken control of the sum of ₦30 million paid to him by Ebenco Enterprises, a business name of a contractor to PHRC, through the GTBank Plc account number: 0158257115, operated by Medinus Mildred Oluba.
In count eight, the defendant was alleged to have, on or about June 26, 2023, in Abuja, disguised the origin of the sum of ₦328,710,337.50.
The money was alleged to have been paid into the GTBank Plc account number: 0123201507, operated by Masterpiece Projects & Investment Limited, by OMSA Integrated Services Limited from the transactions involving NNPC Limited allocation of Vacuum Gas Oil for export.
“When you knew that the said sum of N328, 710, 337. 50 constituted proceed of unlawful activity,” the count read in part.
He was also accused of indirectly taken possession of the cumulative sum of ₦59,200,000, between August 2023 and January 2024 in Abuja, through his GTBank Plc account number: 0047037266, from the funds paid by OMSA Integrated Services Limited to Masterpiece Projects & Investment Limited.
Count 10 accused Dikko of procuring Ebenezar Oluwagbemiga of Ebenco Global Link Limited to take possession of an aggregate sum of ₦356,412,500 on his behalf, between June and January 2023 in Abuja, when he reasonably “ought to have known that the said amount represents proceeds of unlawful activity.”
In count 11, Dikko was alleged to have, between October 2022 and May 2025 in Abuja, converted “the aggregate sum of $77,080 through Ibrahim Isa Yaro.”
The fund was alleged not to form part of his known lawful earning as a former public officer with the NNPCL, formerly Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
In count 12, the defendant was alleged to have, between December 22, 2022 and April 11, 2023 in Abuja, indirectly taken control of the cumulative sum of ₦20 million paid to him by Ebenco Global Link Limited through the GTB Plc account number: 0233656547, operated by his son.
The EFCC alleged that the said sum constituted proceeds of unlawful activity and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.